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November 24, 2005 National Citizens’ Initiative Examines Legalized Arbitrariness in Armenia Yerevan—The National Citizens' Initiative (NCI) today convened a roundtable on “Legalized Arbitrariness in the Republic of Armenia 2004-2005.” The meeting brought together human rights organizations, legal defenders, representatives of state structures, heads of political and non-governmental associations, human rights advocates, analysts, experts, and media representatives. NCI coordinator Hovsep Khurshudian welcomed the audience with opening remarks. “Those cases of legalized arbitrariness which today will be presented by legal defenders and jurists are only a minute part of the numerous infringements upon the law. Simply, each one of them is characteristic of a certain domain. And so as to obtain clarifications on the essence of the matter we had also invited the people who are in charge of the state bodies that deal with the arguments being presented; however, as you see, none of them has honored our invitation,” Khurshudian said. He also read out NCI founder Raffi Hovannisian's address to the citizens of Armenia, in which he invites the people to a Citizens' Assembly to be held in Liberty Square on November 25.
In his intervention on “Pressure as the Incumbent Authorities' Modus Operandi Exercised against the Activities of Human Rights,” arrested attorney Vahe Grigorian's legal defender Arthur Grigorian spoke about how for the first time ever in Armenian history the authorities had indicted and imprisoned a lawyer for performing his duties. Not just local papers but international legal firms likewise have raised an alarm over this case. The latter also have protested the sentencing of the attorney, expressed their support, and demanded that the authorities release him immediately. During his talk concerning “Armenian Law Enforcement's Interference in the Creation of Unequal Competitive Conditions,” Haik Alumian, the lawyer for Reco Records Company, noted how in order to create privileged market conditions for his relative the head of the special Sixth Department of the Police Department is ordering illegal searches, confiscations, and tax-related harassments against competing recording studios. In his address on “The History behind the Dispute between the Royal Armenia Company and the State Customs Committee,” Royal Armenia's legal representative Gevorg Minasian declared how the customs staff, under the leadership of their director, are blackmailing and singling out, including the conduct of unlawful arrests, those businesses that continue to operate legally and refuse to comply with their corrupt ambitions.
During her intervention on “The Illegal Acts Carried Out by the Military Prosecutor's Office of Armenia,” legal defender Zaruhi Postanjian presented the case of Araik Zalian, Musa Serobian, and Razmik Sargisian, the three military servicemen who were illegally sentenced to 15 years in prison on allegations that they had killed two fellow soldiers. In his intervention, renowned filmmaker Tigran Khzmalian made an appeal to those present to join Raffi Hovannisian's initiative and take part, within the framework of opposing the constitutional referendum, in the sessions of the Citizens' Assembly. In his turn, chairman Karen Hakobian of the “Huis” NGO underscored the need to fight against unlawfulness and proposed to join, with his signature, the campaign that defends the military servicemen who are sentenced unjustly.
The remainder of the session was devoted to exchanges of views and policy recommendations among the public figures and policy specialists in attendance. Also noteworthy were interventions by Heritage Party member Aren Tepanosian; human rights advocate and “Armenia Now” correspondent Zhanna Aleksanian; and many others. In his closing remarks, NCI coordinator Hovsep Khurshudian underlined that illegalities are becoming more widespread and brazen, and human rights activists cannot fight against them alone. “This shows that the problem has become political and it calls for an urgent solution by means of civic struggle and resistance,” Khurshudian concluded.
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